The Rhode Island Ballet Arts Academy, under the direction of Nancy McAuliffe, has been training young dancers in classical ballet for years.

McAuliffe is a Rhode Island College graduate who has returned to her alma mater as a part-time teacher in the dance department. She has been a soloist in the Rhode Island Ballet Company and Festival Ballet of Rhode Island. She danced in the Corps de Ballet at Radio City Music Hall

The Academy will present their R.I. Ballet Theatre in a special Christmas Show at the Newport Tennis Casino on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25. The program will include the storybook ballet, “Madeline,” plus scenes from “The Nutcracker.”

Two Cranston girls will be among the dancers: 17-year-old Alexandra Montanaro, a student at Cranston High School West, and Kirsten Hopkins, a student at LaSalle Academy. Alexandra has been dancing with the academy for three years and Kirstin for seven.

The Rhode Island Ballet Company has studios in Smithfield, Bristol, Tiverton and North Kingston and has been training young students since 1965. For more information go to www.riballet.org or www.riballetarts.com.